


Wild Area Ranger

by fickleminder



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Drabble, Family, Friendship, Gen, Gender-neutral Reader, Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 9,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24198964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fickleminder/pseuds/fickleminder
Summary: A series of headcanons about a player character who lives in Galar's Wild Area and acts as its Ranger.Originally posted onmy tumblr.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 154





	1. Concept ideas

**Author's Note:**

> My apologies if the point-form of the chapters throw you off. As mentioned, I started this little series on tumblr and just thought I'd port it here for easier reading. I might come back one day and rewrite them properly, but for now I'm leaving the content as it is.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some concept ideas since you can totally scavenge enough to make ends meet in the Wild Area and practically raise your team there (ignoring the power of gym badges that allow high-levelers to be caught/obey you)

\- Angst backstory bc I can

\- Parents are rangers (i.e. they protect the environment and the Pokémon who live there, stop poachers, etc.) who travel a lot and work too much, probably like Pokémon more than other humans due to all the shit they see in their line of work

\- You were an accident and they didn’t exactly factor you into their lives, so they teach you the ropes until you’re old enough for most kids to be setting off on adventures and then leave you in the Wild Area

\- Maybe you think it’s a rite of passage at first, having to survive on your own while helping lost trainers and protecting wild Pokémon from bullies, but eventually you realize you’re on your own for good

\- You sell the stuff you scavenge to buy camping equipment from the nearby towns and decide to make the Wild Area your home rather than end up in an orphanage or on the streets

\- During the gym challenge season there’re bound to be trainers getting lost/caught by the unpredictable weather/in over their heads running into ultra strong Pokémon, so you make it your mission to escort them to town/save their hides and bring them to the nearest Pokémon center if they get knocked out

\- You grow crazy strong over the years but have no interest in battling (unless it’s in self-defense) or joining the gym challenge, instead you’re dedicated to being a ranger

\- During the off season maybe you do a bit of traveling around the region, but for the most part you stay in the Wild Area, enjoy nature and go den diving

\- The Joys at Motostoke and Hammerlocke know you well and often offer you a warm drink and food if you stop by, but as far as possible you try to stay under the radar despite getting a bit of reputation from grateful trainers

\- Abandonment issues, trust issues, issues with authority, etc.

\- Featuring lost kid!Leon and big bro!Raihan and dad!Kabu at some point


	2. Lost kid!Leon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting lost kid!Leon and introducing your first two Pokémon

\- So it’s been about a year since Leon became Champion at the age of ten and being so young several of the gym challenge hopefuls think he’ll be easy to dethrone. Maybe some resort to dirty tricks to get rid of the competition in general, and the Wild Area is so vast that it’ll be easy to cover their tracks

\- At the same time rumors start circulating about a creature with blue hair and yellow eyes, mostly reported by trainers found injured in the Wild Area and brought to safety back in town. People are warned to be vigilant and report anything suspicious

\- So imagine Leon doing some training with just Charizard when he gets ambushed by a gang of upcoming challengers almost twice his size. Charizard wipes the floor with their Pokémon of course, but then they start targeting Leon and one manages to throw him into Lake Axewell, separating him from his partner as the rest hold Charizard off while the currents sweep him away

\- He catches a glimpse of yellow eyes and blue hair through the fog over the lake before passing out

\- Leon wakes up in a cave next to a campfire with you hovering over him, tending to his injuries. It’s been a few hours since you found him and no doubt Charizard is somewhere out there worried sick, but it’s pouring heavily where you are and you promise to help him find his partner once the rain lightens up

\- Neither of you were expecting a furious Charizard to track Leon down so quickly and practically storm the cave with a powerful roar. He’s injured and soaking wet and there’s an unfamiliar human standing over his hurt partner and he just goes ballistic

\- You fall to the ground at the force of the winds whipped up by Charizard’s wings and scramble backwards at the sight of an angry dragon advancing menacingly towards you. Leon’s frantic words to stop his Pokémon are cut off by gasps of pain

\- Twin flashes of light erupt from your belt and out comes a Golett and a shiny Kirlia to defend you, though you don’t miss the slight tremble in their terrified little bodies

\- Golett’s yellow eyes and Kirlia’s blue hair… Leon realizes that you’re the one who’s been rescuing all those trainers, not attacking them. You look about his age as well, your cowering form so small next to his ferocious partner

\- Before he can try to stop Charizard again, Kirlia lets out a cry and teleports you and your two Pokémon away, leaving behind only some camping equipment to prove you were ever there at all


	3. Gym leader-in-training!Raihan and Prof Magnolia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon talks to Raihan while Prof Magnolia decides to seek you out

\- Gym challenge seasons pass and Leon still has no luck tracking you down. Bad sense of direction aside, if you don’t wanna be found in the Wild Area, you’re effectively a ghost

\- Only the nurse Joy at Motostoke has seen you during supply runs, but even then you keep a low profile and there’s no telling when you’ll show up. Challengers in trouble find themselves teleported to either the League officials on patrol or just outside the doors to the Pokémon center

\- Leon goes to Raihan for help to keep an eye out for you in case you show up in Hammerlocke, but the gym leader-in-training only gives him a flat stare

\- If you’ve been traumatized by Charizard, what in Arceus’ name makes Leon think you would go anywhere near Hammerlocke, the city of dragons? Obviously Charizard isn’t dragon-typed, but it’s a common misconception (being non-native to Galar) and he strongly resembles one

\- Meanwhile Prof Magnolia has heard enough from Sonia who’s been talking to Leon to find out about you. She goes to the Wild Area to do her Dynamax research and at the same time “oh no there’s a frail old lady wandering the dangerous lands someone please help”

\- Well joke’s on you her Boltund is nearby keeping close watch but you don’t know that

\- She doesn’t quite manage to convince you to return to her lab with her, but at least she acquires a research assistant for the day. While sharing about the Dynamax phenomenon, she drops strong hints that a certain Champion is very eager to meet up and apologize to you

\- Before she leaves, you agree to join her for tea at her lab one day. She seems nice and so long as you don’t make it a habit, just once won’t hurt you think


	4. Charizard's apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The overdue apology

\- You lied. Much as you hate to admit it, the Prof can brew a mean pot of (non-sentient) tea and you find yourself coming back for more

\- One such visit brings you face-to-face with the unbeatable Champion, who ambushes you with his Charizard in tow after a tip-off from Magnolia

\- You don’t keep your Pokémon inside their balls nowadays, preferring to let them roam freely. Sometimes you think they’ll ditch you just like your parents did, so instead of trapping them in spheres you make it easier for them by keeping them out. All you ask is that they say goodbye first

\- They never leave your side and there are days it baffles you to tears

\- Point is you know they’re near and won’t let you get hurt, so you remain still as Charizard approaches you with his wings tucked in and shoulders hunched and are those flowers in his claws??

\- The poor overgrown lizard looks so sad that you can’t help but accept the crude bouquet and give him a tentative pat on the snout. Nobody says a word about your shaking hands

\- Turns out Leon held on to all the gear you abandoned during your escape and kept them in good condition until he can return them to you. You’ve replaced everything already by now but it’s a sweet gesture nonetheless

\- Leon being Leon challenges you to a battle but you turn him down. You’re only here for tea and then it’s back to the Wild Area for you. While surprised to learn you have no interest in joining the gym challenge despite seeming like a strong trainer, he admires your dedication to your ranger duties

\- You part ways on friendlier terms and a few weeks later Raihan contacts Leon with confirmed sightings of you near Hammerlocke


	5. Dad!Kabu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kabu’s dad instincts activate and your third Pokémon makes an appearance

\- You’re familiar with Motostoke’s gym leader, sort of. Nurse Joy introduced you one time when you both happened to be in the Pokémon center. The older man’s stern demeanor had been pretty intimidating and you had muttered a “Sir” with a respectful nod before collecting your team and hightailing it back to the safety of the Wild Area

\- Kabu has heard about you and your deeds of course. In fact, he once caught you piggybacking an unconscious trainer back to Motostoke and slinking away after they’re tended to. Both of you have crossed paths several times but you don’t give him more than a stiff greeting before fleeing in the opposite direction

\- A week after the entire Wild Area is enveloped by a blizzard, nurse Joy worries that she hasn’t seen you in a while. Not to say you help lost and injured trainers to Motostoke everyday, but you’ve never been radio silent for so long

\- Never mind the fact that not once have you used any of the emergency contacts in your Rotom phone, the same one nurse Joy had given you as an anniversary gift two years into your active ranger duty. She wonders if you still don’t trust that whoever you call will pick up

\- She shares her concerns with Kabu (who’s about to head out for some off season training) and just when he decides to go looking for you a Corviknight bursts through the doors with your scarf in his talons while screeching at the top of his lungs

\- Kabu’s too young for a heart attack pls

\- They find you holed up in a cave where you’ve taken shelter from the blizzard but you’re unconscious with high fever. Although there are signs you’ve been self-medicating, your supplies are running dangerously low

\- You wake up in Motostoke’s gym infirmary and it’s a daily battle on Kabu’s end to make sure you stay put and rest. You try to teleport out of there but unfortunately your worried Pokémon aren’t too happy about you scaring them half to death and they team up with the gym trainers to help you recover

\- It’s nice to be fussed over, even though you tell yourself not to get used to it. Corviknight just caws in exasperation and grooms your hair as you grudgingly relax in the too-soft bed

\- Kabu makes it a point to check up on you every now and then after you return to your duties. It’s annoying at first, but knowing he’s in your corner watching your back… Not a bad feeling, actually


	6. Big bro!Raihan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some big bro!Raihan shenanigans for y’all

\- It’s a beautiful day in the Wild Area… Sandstorms blowing, fog shrouding, thunderstorms soaking, etc.

\- Raihan’s doing something weather-based training near the Dusty Bowl when he comes across his favorite little ranger

\- Tall dude loves to use you as his personal arm rest, another reason why you prefer escorting trainers to Motostoke rather than Hammerlocke

\- Jk he’s cool and chill and you think he takes way too many photos but he never takes any of you without your permission. Tbh Raihan’s the big bro you sometimes wish you had

\- But not today

\- Today he saunters over to you with a “what’s up squirt” and yep there goes his arm on your head again

\- Fortunately he’s not the only one in a playful mood

\- A heavy weight rests on Raihan’s own head and he turns around, his eyes going up and up and up…

\- Your Golurk stares back down at him, and you’ve known it long enough to tell it’s practically smirking with glee as it gives him a taste of his own medicine. To add insult to injury, Corviknight is perched on Golurk’s shoulder, beady red eyes glaring daggers at the gym leader

\- Raihan gets the message and removes his arm, grumbling good-naturedly about overprotective Pokémon

\- His Flygon can’t stop laughing at him though


	7. Grateful trainers defend your reputation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair of nosey reporters give you bad press but the trainers you’ve saved in the past come to your defense

\- You haven’t left the Wild Area in about a month now and you’re getting real sick of curry at this point

\- There’s no way for you to know how bad the backlash is and neither do you want to find out. You broke your Rotom phone in anger when the video had been released, leaving the poor Pokémon living inside it temporarily homeless

\- Maybe permanently, if you decide to never set foot in civilization again

\- You had been with a trainer who had sprained her ankle, helping her limp away from the grass as your Gallade fended off a hoard of wild Croagunks in pursuit, oblivious to a pair of reporters filming the action nearby

\- A microphone was shoved into your face when you had gotten far enough to feed the trainer’s injured Hattrem a sitrus berry, and you were quickly bombarded by questions

\- How old were you? How long had you been Galar’s self-appointed ranger? Were you getting paid for your services? Did you feel responsible for the trainers you couldn’t save?

\- The video had been abruptly cut off when your Gallade appeared in a blue blur and launched a vicious psycho cut in the direction of the camera, and now the reporters were calling you a crazy hobo to be avoided in the Wild Area

\- They were too mad about their interrupted interview to be grateful that Gallade had just saved them from a rogue Croagunk that had snuck up behind them. While they were distracted, you quickly ordered the Hattrem to teleport her trainer to safety before Gallade did the same for you

\- Now you’re roughing it in constant paranoia, wondering if an angry mob will show up and drive you out of your home. In fact, if you listen closely, you can hear footsteps in the grass approaching your camp…

\- “Found you!” Leon grins widely, absolutely unperturbed by the blade Gallade is pointing an inch away from his throat (Arceus bless your Pokémon’s reflexes). Behind him, Charizard looks a little frazzled but lowers his guard when Gallade does the same

\- The Champion tells you about how the two reporters were forced to issue a public apology and then fired after so many trainers spoke out in your defense. The trainer with the Hattrem also stepped forward to explain what really happened that day, and both Kabu and Raihan had given official statements vouching for you

\- Speaking of, the two gym leaders have been worried sick as you haven’t been answering their calls or messages. Leon spends all day convincing you that the media storm is over and to go pay them a visit

\- You surprise Kabu outside Motostoke gym the next day and in the time he takes to herd you into the gym kitchen and prepare a non-curry meal, Raihan shows up with Leon in tow and a new phone for you

\- Tears are shed and you tell yourself it’s from all the spices in the food


	8. A glimpse of your battling skills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of your battle prowess featuring worried!Kabu, overprotective!Raihan and your fourth Pokémon

\- Not all trainers make it past every gym and there are some who drop out of the challenge altogether. A few disappear without a trace and given that the Wild Area is a dangerous place to train, it’s plausible that tragedies happen sometimes

\- With you on the job there are fewer missing trainers each season, but recently there’s been word of sabotage going around. Having been at the receiving end before, Leon privately asks you to investigate it

\- Using yourself as bait, you borrow a fire uniform and disguise yourself, pretending to be a novice gym challenger wandering the Wild Area

\- Kabu does not approve of your plan btw but he has his own duties to attend to early in the circuit so guess who he sends to watch out for you

\- Corviknight shadows you from the sky with your Rotom phone in his talons, and it only takes a day before you’re accosted by the culprits

\- Turns out their M.O. is to shove trainers into the mysterious pocket dimensions known as max raid dens and hope they aren’t strong enough to fight their way out. You suspect there are challengers trapped in these dens so you allow them to “force” you into an active one. Besides, Rotom has recorded everything and you can report them later

\- Except that Raihan is also following you on his Flygon and sees you disappearing into a purple beam of light. He panics and dives in after you cus oh shit what if you can’t Dynamax and you get crushed by a giant Pokémon in there —

\- He narrowly dodges the G-Max Resonance your Lapras throws at an overgrown apple

\- (You never told anyone about finding a wishing star a few days after your parents left you behind. Shivering alone in front of a tiny campfire, your wishes for a companion had been answered with a stone falling from the sky and a curious Ralts wandering into your makeshift camp)

\- Raihan assists you in battle and the two of you escort an exhausted challenger to Motostoke after the Flapple retreats. While you meet up with Leon to hand over the evidence, Raihan catches Kabu to return the borrowed uniform and reassure him that you’re still in one piece


	9. Your turn to need some help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re used to relying on yourself and your Pokémon, but there’s no shame in reaching out for help, especially when your safety’s on the line

\- You don’t remember much of the fight, only the screams of trainers trying to escape a horde of Seismitoads, flashes of your Pokémon engaging in battle, a sharp pain below your knee, torrents of rain on your face as you’re ferried away from Axew’s Eye…

\- One of those screams might have been yours, seeing as your leg definitely feels broken. You vaguely recall several wild Crawdaunts joining the fray but your head is throbbing and it hurts to move or even think without wanting to throw up

\- It’s likely that you have a concussion too, but you don’t blame Golurk. Poor thing took a supereffective hit after shoving you out of the way and you barely managed to recall it into its Pokéball before it can crush you

\- Gallade helps you off Lapras and onto land, bearing your weight as you slump to the ground. He looks utterly drained, is probably frustrated too that he doesn’t have enough psychic power left to teleport you to a Pokémon center. Lapras coos worriedly from the water, wishing she can carry you across land as well

\- Your bag is nudged by a beak and your Rotom phone flies out. Corviknight is not-so-subtly asking you to call someone, but the late hour and stormy weather make you hesitate. You reckon you can crawl your way towards a shelter for the night and figure all this out the next day, but the giant bird isn’t having any of your bullshit and attempts to fly for help, screeching against the pain of his injured wing

\- You cave immediately and call the first number on speed dial

\- Kabu actually picks up, to your surprise. You figured it’d be way past the older man’s bedtime by now

\- His voice grows more worried the longer you stay silent, and it isn’t until he threatens to comb the entire Wild Area for you, right now, that you stammer out your location and apologies for disturbing him

\- He doesn’t want your apologies, he wants you to hang on until he can come get you

\- You wait at the water’s edge, leaning back and shivering against Lapras while supported by Gallade and Corviknight on either side, the latter raising his good wing to provide whatever relief from the rain he can. Golurk’s Pokéball is clutched in your hands as you close your eyes, the adrenaline rush from the battle fading fast

\- In the distance, you hear Kabu calling your name before you finally give into the pain and pass out


	10. A place to stay and a new friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You need a place to recover from your ordeal and find that you have more options than you realize

\- The doctors say you dodged the pneumonia bullet but it’ll take at least two months for your leg to heal fully

\- That’s two months too long in your humble opinion but you keep your mouth shut when Kabu shoots you a stern look, the older man familiar with your poor self-care habits

\- You’ve been given the all clear and are ready to be discharged, but then it dawns on you that you have nowhere to go. The Wild Area is certainly no place to recover from a serious injury and as protective as your Pokémon are, they simply aren’t equipped to provide you with the care you need

\- But you’ve caused enough trouble for everyone already so you resolve to suck it up and deal with it

\- “You can stay with me”

\- Kabu and Raihan glare at each other, having spoken at the same time. Your jaw drops as they start to bicker because ?!??

\- Leon casually hands you a Pokéball as he explains how your oblivious ass has ignored every hint from the two gym leaders that there was space in their homes for you, a place to call your own if you wanted. In fact, even the local Joys in their cities have reserved rooms in the respective centers for your use

\- You’re still stunned speechless so the Champion nudges the Pokéball in your hands. A get-well gift, he says, a new friend for you to get to know while you recover

\- “Is it a fire/dragon type?” Kabu and Raihan ask simultaneously

\- Cue another round of arguing

\- The room falls silent as a Dedenne pops out and nuzzles into your arms, squeaking happily

\- You’re grateful for the distraction but the fact remains that you still have to decide where to go, and you just can’t pick between the two

\- Leon signs his own death warrant when he suggests that Sonia and Prof Magnolia wouldn’t mind a new housemate


	11. Cheering on your fam during gym battles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since you’re off-duty while you recover, you decide to spend some time cheering on your fam during gym battles

**Kabu**

\- The air is warm, and not just from the crowds of people crammed into the stadium. Kabu and his Pokemon have this fiery presence that you can feel even all the way in the stands

\- You’ve heard about how the ever-burning man of fire easily sends half the gym challengers home every season and boy he does not disappoint

\- Ninetales and Arcanine make your hands itch to pet them and while bugs give you the shivers you have to admit Centiskorch looks kinda badass

\- You cheer loudly alongside the rest of Kabu’s fans when he defeats his opponent. If it wasn’t for your busted leg, you probably would have been jumping too. Who knew gym battles could be so exciting?

\- Kabu catches sight of you after the match when you hang back to let the bulk of the spectators exit first. No point fighting with people to get out when you’re stuck in a wheelchair

\- He chides you lightly for squeezing in with the crowd in your condition, but nevertheless it’s a pleasant surprise to see you at one of his matches and he thanks you for your support

* * *

**Raihan**

\- Knowing Raihan’s tendencies to use weather-based moves, you come prepared with goggles, a hat and an umbrella just in case

\- A league official stops you at the entrance and for a moment you think you’re getting turned away for bringing prohibited items or something, but then she leads you down another corridor to a designated guest seating area with virtually no one to fight with for breathing space

\- (You make a mental note to pick up some green tea for Kabu next time you’re in Motostoke)

\- Back in the Wild Area you’ve seen trainers double battling against one another before, but Raihan’s skill is on a whole other level. No wonder he’s the last hurdle gym challengers have to clear before they can reach Leon

\- The current challenger manages to cut Raihan’s team down to Duraludon, but the steel dragon’s Gigantamaxed form is the one who deals the final blow

\- Raihan turns his back to you before taking his usual post-battle selfie, and you cover your face in embarrassment when you realize he’s trying to catch you in the background

* * *

**Leon**

\- Leon’s doing an exhibition match with another gym leader. Her serious demeanor reminds you of Kabu and her Machamp gives you flashbacks of being chased by Machokes in the Stony Wilderness. He’s definitely a Pokémon you don’t want to mess with

\- You’re at the edge of your seat as you watch Machamp dodge Charizard’s flamethrower before grabbing him by the tail and slamming him into the ground. Thankfully, Charizard recovers quickly and lunges at Machamp with a vicious slash, knocking his opponent out with a critical hit

\- The roar of the crowd is deafening and you resist the urge to cover your ears, not used to all the noise compared to the relative quiet back in the Wild Area. Still, you cheer for Charizard and Leon while clapping for Machamp and his trainer. Despite the loss, her battling was really impressive

\- You take a moment to entertain the thought of joining the gym challenge yourself. You’re not a fan of crowds or having people’s attention focused on you, but it’s fun to imagine

\- Being a ranger is who you are though, and you wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world


	12. Blast from the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find a lost boy who looks disturbingly similar to some people you used to know

\- The sound of distressed wailing draws you to Hammerlocke Hills, where you find a little boy in the middle of the tall grass, bawling his eyes out

\- He’s surrounded by Maractus who are trying to cheer him up with their dancing, but to no avail. You don’t see blood or any other visible injuries, so you figure he’s lost

\- You send Dedenne ahead first, hoping your friendly Pokémon can calm him down before you approach. It works; the little mouse nuzzles the boy in all the right places to make him giggle, and you sigh in relief when he stops crying to pick her up and cuddle her instead

\- He looks a little familiar for some reason but you swear you’ve never met him before. Maybe he’s related to someone you know?

\- Either way you end up piggybacking him to Hammerlocke, where no doubt his folks are worried sick and getting help to look for him. He spots them the moment you walk into the Pokémon center and calls out happily as you set him down, breaking into a sprint towards —

\- Your parents. Your parents, who engulf him in tight hugs and fuss over his dirtied clothes and pat him down for scrapes and bruises and plant relieved kisses all over his face

\- ( _Be good now_ , were the last words they ever said to you before turning their backs and walking away)

\- Raihan’s here too, talking to a league staff member and calling off the search party. His gaze flickers between you and the happy family reunion, and he frowns in concern when he notices your glazed look

\- Dedenne squeaks worriedly from the pocket of your jacket. You unclench your fists and reach in to pet her, keeping your hands occupied before you do something you regret

\- You snap yourself out of it when you’re offered a handshake, a gesture of gratitude from the mother. You reach out to take it (it’s only polite, after all) but she flinches back in pain the second you make contact

\- “Sorry, static,” she laughs, even though you didn’t feel a thing. You resolve to cook extra sweet curry for Dedenne after this

\- The father steps forward then, calling your name curiously. He asks if you recognize him, claims you look like the child they lost a long time ago

\- And something inside you just _shatters_

\- “I’ve already got a dad,” you say without thinking, “just ask my big bro over there.” You point at Raihan over your shoulder, unaware of the gym leader picking his jaw off the ground

\- The boy — your baby brother? — thanks you one last time before pulling his parents out of the center. They don’t seem too disappointed by your answer and leave without a second glance. Talk about déjà vu

\- You’re just standing there staring after them numbly so Raihan has to drag you to sit down at a table, hugging you close and texting Kabu and Leon with one hand to get their asses to Hammerlocke ASAP. Dedenne pops out of your pocket and climbs up to nuzzle your neck in comfort

\- You don’t cry, you don’t even hug back, but you stay where you are for a long time after that


	13. Happy birthday to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to Galar’s one and only ranger

\- You don’t actually know when your birthday is. Your parents never really celebrated it when you were growing up so it’s just another day to you, no fuss necessary

\- A few weeks after your meltdown in Hammerlocke, Prof Magnolia and Sonia have you running errands in the Wild Area, harvesting rare berries and scavenging for wishing pieces

\- It makes you feel useful and productive, distracting you from wallowing in what-ifs. You’re always happy to lend a hand and it’s a nice change of pace since you’ve thrown yourself into your duties recently. Not to mention you’ve been ~~bribed with~~ promised a home-cooked meal at the end of the day

\- Your bag is full by dinnertime and Corviknight flies you to the house at the end of route 2. You feel bad about not coming back to visit after your leg healed, especially given how they’d shared their home with you while you were recovering. You remind yourself to join them for tea more often as you open the front door and —

\- “SURPRISE!!”

\- (You do not scream, absolutely not, no siree)

\- ((Note to self: sic Dedenne on Raihan’s Rotom and have her bite it until it deletes the evidence))

\- Turns out Leon decided your special day would be the anniversary of when you had saved him all those years ago. It was the start of your legacy after all, the day your new family first met you

\- Speaking of, Leon’s mum and little brother are here too, along with the twins from next door. The kids beg you for stories of your adventures and fawn over your Pokémon (Gallade in particular, who is the first shiny they’ve ever seen)

\- There’s song and cake after dinner, and while all the attention makes you uncomfortable at first, you find yourself relaxing around familiar company. You insist on helping to clean up afterwards and wave away any apologies for the lack of gifts since the party was organized at such short notice

\- Except that there’s something hidden under your bag when you go to retrieve the berries and wishing pieces, a small present wrapped in red. No one is looking so you decide to open it, tearing carefully at the paper to uncover a plain box containing two colorful stones

\- A Key Stone and a Galladite, according to the note inside. You flip it over and see that it’s signed “From: Dad”

\- Kabu wishes you a happy birthday as you hug him within an inch of his life

\- (You’re not crying, you’re not crying, you’re not — oh, screw it)


	14. A day in the life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical day in your life as Galar’s ranger

\- You go for a run before dawn if the weather permits, sprinting across open fields, enjoying the wind in your hair, playing tag with Gallade (who cheats sometimes by teleporting just out of reach, cheeky bastard _get back here—!_ )

\- Sunrises are beautiful in the Wild Area so you make breakfast for your team and eat together while catching the first light of the day. You tend to camp near water bodies so Lapras can stretch her flippers, and she often shows her gratitude by dunking you in for a quick rinse

\- Golurk guards the camp at night so you return him to his Pokéball to rest before setting off. You patrol different areas everyday, covering as much ground as possible before it gets too dark. The abundance of wild Pokémon is great training fodder for your team and occasionally you come across active max raid dens to dive into for Dynamax candies to help Prof Magnolia with her research

\- Dedenne enjoys treasure hunting and brings you precious items to sell next time you’re in town. She likes to play with the baby Pokémon at the daycare too, so some days you stop by to help the workers babysit

\- Technically you’re not allowed to — plus you’re terrified of heights — but you practice flying on Corviknight and learn to swallow your nausea when he feels bold enough to attempt aerial stunts (he dropped you once, just once, and even though he caught you almost immediately you grounded him for a week after that)

\- You keep your distance from other trainers unless they’re in need of assistance. Sometimes you shadow them when you know they’re in an area with extra strong wild Pokémon roaming about, but otherwise you generally leave them be

\- The day ends with a hearty meal around the campfire and you spend some time playing and relaxing with your team. Your tent is set up and fortified against the elements, but having lived in the Wild Area for years, you’ve grown to anticipate the weather and you know when to spend the night taking shelter in a cave if need be


	15. Darkest Day 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The apocalypse drives you to make a risky decision

\- You first hear about the Darkest Day from Sonia, who’s been looking into the legend since the gym challenge started this year. The stories are terrifying, what with perpetually dark skies and giant Pokémon running amok

\- A few months into the season, this is exactly what happens

\- Each major city in Galar may only have one power spot but the Wild Area has close to a hundred and Pokémon are Dynamaxing like crazy. You recall the incident at route 7 just a week ago and you know that letting them escape is simply not an option

\- Lapras and Corviknight are on evacuation duty, splitting up to comb the Wild Area for people and getting them to safety. Dedenne and Golurk pair up at Hammerlocke while you and Gallade take Motostoke, battling any Dynamaxed Pokémon that gets too close to the cities’ gates

\- Your team holds the line for what feels like forever, and even though Lapras returns to assist at the Lake of Outrage while Corviknight backs you up, you can tell your Pokémon won’t be able to last much longer. You haven’t Dynamaxed any of them either, knowing that the power boost is only temporary

\- You spot a horde of giant Pokémon in the distance, slowly but surely making their way towards Motostoke. There’s no way Corviknight and Gallade can take all of them on at once but you can’t let any get past, can’t let your dad’s city be destroyed —

\- And then it hits you: what if you combined Dynamax with Mega Evolution?

\- Gallade, your ace, your starter, your best friend, nods at you with determination

\- He looks absolutely majestic, hacking and slashing with wickedly sharp blades while sporting protrusions from his shoulders that remind you of the Champion’s cape. You fight alongside him without having to issue any commands, moving together as one synchronized unit, sharing the pain from every attack and pouring every ounce of energy into striking back

\- The battle rages on beyond the normal Dynamax period, and it isn’t until the skies start to clear that Gallade deals the final blow before shrinking back down to his regular size and form in a burst of light

\- Thankfully there aren’t any more giant Pokémon in sight, but your heart nearly stops when Gallade collapses to the ground in an unmoving heap. You take a step forward and freeze, choking on the surge of coppery liquid suddenly building up in your throat

\- Corviknight’s frantic cries are the last thing you hear before your body pitches sideways as the world goes dark


	16. Aftermath and recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few weeks after the events of the second Darkest Day

\- The Wild Area got hit the hardest during the literal apocalypse. Many areas were devastated by giant Pokémon stomping around and getting into fights, and it will take time for the once pristine lands to recover their natural beauty

\- People have reported being evacuated via Lapras and Corviknight, and miraculously no Dynamaxed wild Pokémon had breached Motostoke or Hammerlocke. No doubt it’s all thanks to your efforts, but nobody has seen or heard from you since and it’s like the fake news fiasco all over again

\- While you’re known to hide yourself away when things are bad, choosing to suffer in silence rather than burden others for help, your family is worried sick and don’t want to assume the worst. With the gym season over and Leon dethroned, they have more than enough time to spend repairing the damage caused by Eternatus and searching for you

\- Prof Magnolia promises to let them know if you go to her, seeing as her home was once your refuge. She conveniently omits the fact that she’d spotted you camping on the island in the middle of the lake behind her house

\- You’re wracked with guilt after nearly getting Gallade killed, never mind the fact that you almost shared his fate. You swear you’ll never Dynamax or Mega Evolve him ever again and throw your band and stones into the bottom of your bag

\- (He doesn’t hold it against you — your brave, loyal partner — and you’ll never know how much you scared him when Corviknight told him about how he thought you had dropped dead after the battle)

\- ((The giant bird had broken every sky traffic law getting both of you to Wedgehurst, where Magnolia oversaw your recovery, and retrieved the other half of your team. While you were comatose in the hospital, Golurk refused to come out of his Pokéball, Dedenne stopped eating, and Lapras wailed for days))

\- There’s no way you can bring yourself to face Kabu and the others after what you’ve done. Sure you helped to protect people from rampaging giants during the apocalypse, but sacrificing your Pokémon in the process is just unforgivable

\- You’ll go back to them one day, but for now your team deserves some much-needed downtime and there’s nowhere else you’d rather be than with them


	17. Returning to duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two brothers choose the wrong Professor to mess with

\- They may have stolen all the wishing stars but knowing how to use them is another matter altogether. Who better to give them the information they need than the expert?

\- Hop and the twins race to find Sonia after Sordward and Shielbert make an offhand comment about the Professor, thinking she’s their next target. They rush into her lab to save her, but she’s alone and unharmed and very, very confused

\- It’s the ex Dark Gym leader who recognizes the red herring and realizes that Magnolia’s the one in danger instead. Sonia practically tears the doors of the lab down to get to route 2 and panics when she sees the thrashed state of the front yard. She runs inside the house calling for her grandmother, ordering Yamper to use wild ch—

\- “Sonia dear, what have I told you about battling indoors?”

\- Magnolia explains that the Lapras living in the lake came to her rescue. It makes sense, seeing as there are large tracks at the shoreline and some of the plants outside are frozen solid

\- The kids, bless them, want to stick around a little longer just to be safe, but she assures them that the brothers won’t be coming back anytime soon

\- After the group leaves to investigate the next power surge, Magnolia walks out to the lake and looks towards the island

\- “Thank you for your help earlier. But you know, chances are those nasty men will be experimenting on the poor Pokémon in the Wild Area. We can’t have that now, can we?”

\- Nothing happens for a while, but then she sees a glint of light reflecting off a blue blade. Seconds later, a Corviknight takes off from the island with a rider perched on top, flying in the direction of the Wild Area


	18. Isle of armor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first visit to the Isle of Armor

\- You’re a little confused the first time Corviknight flies you beyond the edges of the Wild Area and towards Spikemuth, then over the ocean to an island east of Galar

\- Chances are he found it while out on one of his joyflights (or perhaps after tailing a few of the taxi services), but you trust him to have scouted the place to make sure it’s safe before bringing you there

\- Dedenne pops out of her Pokéball the moment you land and runs around excitedly. You find out why when she leads you to one of the beaches and out comes a horde of Dedennes from the tall grass. This must be where Leon had caught her for you

\- You decide to set up camp nearby and let the rest of your team out to explore. From where you’re at, you can already see various species of Pokémon not found in the Wild Area of Galar

\- Every now and then you see people wearing some kind of yellow uniform around the island. You figure they must be students or staff from that dojo in the southeast. You stop by briefly to take a closer look, but seeing as you have no business there you ultimately decide not to go inside

\- As you leave though, you feel a pair of eyes watching you closely…


	19. A familiar face and a new task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You run into a familiar face and learn about a lot of somethings hidden in the ground

\- It takes you a while to recognize the boy waving you over from a distance, since he’s dressed in a dojo uniform with his hair bunned up. The bear Pokémon trailing behind him is definitely new, but you invite them both to your camp for lunch anyway

\- Victor tells you about how his twin had been busy with Champion duties so he decided to take her place at the dojo instead. He shares stories about his adventures on the isle so far and introduces you to Kubfu, who’s busy trying to goad Gallade into sparring with him

\- The teen asks how you’ve been doing, seeing as you more or less disappeared after the Darkest Day incident. It’s been a few months and the others are worried. You try not to think about the mega stone hidden in your bag and assure him you’re fine, shoving more food in his direction in a not-so-subtle attempt to change the subject

\- Fortunately Victor gets the hint. He looks a little sheepish when he asks you for a favor, telling you about a hiker he met near the dojo who had lost his Pokémon and needed help calling them back. Victor has been searching on the side but his main priority at the moment is getting Kubfu ready for the Tower challenge

\- You’re more than happy to help – it’s part of your ranger duties, after all – and then you find out just how many there are…

\- “What do you mean he lost over a hundred Digletts on the isle?!”


	20. Diglett hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A poor hiker makes his way onto your hit list

\- That hiker better pray to Arceus he doesn’t run into you or you’ll make sure he gets up close and personal with Gallade’s blades

\- Introducing a potentially invasive species aside, over a hundred non-native Digletts in the isle can really mess up its ecosystem and the ranger in you is out for blood

\- Those sneaky things are hard to find too. You’re becoming paranoid with every rock and pebble you see, trying to spot the distinctive three yellow hairs that will identify an Alolan Diglett

\- You’re sorely tempted to get Golurk to Earthquake every last one of those sonofabitches out of the ground but you know that’ll only do more harm than good

\- Apparently some of them have found their way onto the small islands dotted around the isle as well, and getting T-boned by speeding Sharpedos is not your idea of a good day

\- Corviknight is having too much fun dive bombing the poor unsuspecting wild Pokémon near the surface to give you a lift, so Lapras ends up Dragon Pulsing any Sharpedos that come too near

\- To avoid a murder charge, you update Victor on your progress so that he can update the hiker in turn


	21. Family reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can take the ranger out of Galar but you can’t stop Galar from looking after one of their own

\- When you emerge out of Warm-Up Tunnel with a couple of Max Mushrooms in hand, only to see Kabu standing some distance away on top of a sand dune, your first reaction is to back away slowly and retreat the way you came

\- The Fire Gym leader had been looking away and didn’t see you, so you think you can make a quick escape as you swiftly turn around and —

\- “BOO!”

\- You scream and drop the mushrooms, instinctively throwing out a punch. Sensing your panic, Gallade breaks out of his ball and immediately Close Combats the nearest Pokémon before it can even think about attacking

\- When the dust settles, you realize you’ve just OHKO’ed Raihan’s Duraludon and given the Dragon Gym leader a very nice bruise on his stomach

\- Not to mention all the commotion had caught Kabu’s attention and here he comes jogging over to you

\- Welp, time to face the music

\- You’re right to suspect that Victor had told them where you were hiding out (that traitor), but you never could have guessed the first question out of Kabu’s mouth:

\- “You like your curry sweet, right?”

\- And that’s it. Over a hearty meal, all you three talk about is Leon settling into the Chairman position and his Battle Tower project, Gloria’s reign as the new Champion, Victor’s newly evolved Urshifu and his hunt for Max Honey with Hop, and Prof Magnolia sponsoring Sonia’s latest research trip

\- Raihan would have asked how your team is doing, but judging from Gallade’s earlier performance, it’s clear they’re as sharp as ever. He waves away your frantic apologies for the punch, although Gallade isn’t as sorry for jumping to your defense, much to Kabu’s amusement

\- “You deserved that”

\- “Shut up, old man”

\- There are no questions about what happened during the second Darkest Day, about why you left, why you stayed away for so long. They’re acting completely normal, like old friends catching up over lunch

\- A part of you feels guilty for leaving your family behind without any notice, and you expect them to harbor at least some resentment towards you. Instead, they surprise you yet again:

\- “Don’t be a stranger, all right? You know our doors are always open to you,” Raihan says with a toothy grin

\- You don’t go back to Galar with them, but your heart feels lighter as you wave them goodbye, watching their taxi disappear into the distance

\- No more running away, you decide. You need to own up to what happened and only then can you clear your conscience. With a certain pair of stones and your Dynamax band tucked safely in your bag, you make your way towards the dojo, hoping that they’re open to having another student


	22. Going hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Kirlia ended up evolving into a Gallade

\- Believe it or not, despite the abundance of fruit trees scattered across the Wild Area, you’ve gone hungry before. To be fair, this was back when you were much younger and new to the region, so you were still learning how to stockpile and manage your resources effectively

\- You got caught unprepared one season when there was a particularly large number of gym challengers. They picked the Wild Area mostly clean of food and precious items as they camped out and trained up their teams

\- Golett had recently evolved and there’s this Corviknight who seemed to have followed you out of the raid den you were exploring the other day (you got the fright of your life when he suddenly exploded after the battle and instead of throwing a pokeball you ended up lobbing sitrus berries at him), so you’ll need to feed them too

\- It’s late at night and you’re exhausted after hunting for food all day. You haven’t had a full meal in what feels like forever, but even though you use up every ingredient in your bag to cook, you realize halfway through that there still won’t be enough to go around

\- Kirlia nudges you worriedly when you put curry on everybody’s plate except your own. There’s no use lying to a psychic type but you tell him you’re not hungry anyway, and drink lots of water in an attempt to stop your stomach from growling

\- Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work

\- But you absolutely refuse to let your team starve and go to sleep with a firm resolve to find more food the next day

\- When you open your eyes in the morning, there’s a pile of berries at the entrance of the cave where you’ve taken shelter in. Your pokemon are out of their balls: Golurk sleeping sprawled out on the ground, Corviknight nestled on top of its chest, and a Gallade standing guard next to —

\- You think you’ve gone delirious from hunger because you know Gallades aren’t supposed to be blue. It takes a while for your brain to catch up to the fact that _oh, Kirlia evolved_ and the touching realization that your team must have been out foraging all night

\- Upon closer inspection, you notice the pile also contains a few pearls and evolution stones; Kirlia had probably come into contact with a dawn stone at some point while carrying the berries back

\- You learn to manage your resources much better after this incident, but even on days where food is running a little low, your pokemon make sure to share their portions with you so that you never go to bed hungry again


	23. Meeting other gym leaders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by [laydeneko](https://laydeneko.tumblr.com): For Wild Area Ranger, do they ever meet up with any of the other gym leaders?

**Milo + Nessa**

\- It’s a well-known fact that the first three gym leaders in the circuit are close. Kabu himself had shared with you that Milo and Nessa were two of his first friends in Galar, and you think their little tradition of sending off successful gym challengers from Motostoke is really sweet

\- One day you make your way towards North Lake Miloch where Kabu had requested you deliver some rare berries. When you reach the designated meeting spot however, you find that he isn’t alone; Turffield’s and Hulbury’s gym leaders are there too, helping to set up camp and chatting with one another amicably

\- You’re about to ask Gallade to drop off the berries discreetly, not wanting to disturb their private gathering, when Milo spots you and waves you over

\- Turns out you’ve been invited to one of their regular meetups under the guise of berry delivery and since you’ve so helpfully provided them the ingredients for lunch, they simply have to feed you in return

\- (Sneaky old man)

\- Despite his size, Milo is super gentle with your pokemon and really friendly too. He’s brought along one of the Wooloos from his farm and you can’t get enough of petting the cute sheep. You think you can sleep forever if you use it as a pillow

\- Nessa is easily more intimidating and you feel extremely underdressed compared to her. You certainly never expected her to stride up to you and shake your hand while thanking you for keeping the waters clean

\- You’ve been fishing out trash from the lakes in the Wild Area as part of your duties but you have no idea how she found out about it

\- Lunch is delicious and you learn that Kabu is actually a pretty skilled cook. You pick up some tips from him along the way and generally have a good time with the three gym leaders

\- (Kabu doesn’t say it, but he thinks Milo and Nessa have already decided to adopt you as their little sibling)

**Bea + Allister**

\- Bea trains in the Wild Area every now and then. She’s always super focused doing drills with her team: running, lifting boulders, practicing her katas, and sparring with her Machamp

\- You still can’t wrap your head around the fact that she can keep up with the superpower pokemon, like, sweet Arceus —

\- Of course she’s more than capable of handling herself so you generally stay out of her way

\- (Yes it’s a coincidence that you always seem to be heading in the opposite direction whenever you happen to see her. No she doesn’t scare you, what nonsense)

\- Allister, on the other hand, likes to hang out at the Watchtower Ruins

\- Golurk had wandered off from camp one night while you were preparing dinner and you’re out looking for it when you feel something grab the back of your jacket and _yank —_

\- (In hindsight, Allister had only been tugging at the hem of your shirt but your nerves were at an all-time high and frankly you’re surprised the sheer volume of your scream didn’t immediately summon the rest of your team to investigate)

\- Not too far behind Allister is none other than Golurk, who looks awfully gleeful watching the two of you scare a decade off each other’s lives

\- The gym leader says he has a message for you from Golurk. It wants to apologize for giving you a concussion during that horrible battle on Axew’s Eye all those months ago

\- You don’t blame it of course, you never did, and you feel bad that Golurk still harbors guilt over that incident

\- Allister scurries away with a meek nod after you thank him and you resolve to give Golurk an extra large serving of curry later as it walks you back to camp

**Opal**

\- The Wild Area may be your main base of operations, but that doesn’t mean you don’t take time to explore the other cities in the region during the off season

\- Ballonlea is as mystical as they say; the pretty lights and glowing mushrooms really add to the whole atmosphere and you’re glad you made the effort to visit

\- You’re about to trek through Glimwood Tangle when you’re approached by Opal, who’s just emerging from the forest herself

\- Her intense stare sends shivers down your spine; she seems to be looking right into your soul, and you find yourself instinctively standing at attention as she scrutinizes you

\- It feels like hours before Opal suddenly smiles, shaking her head and making her way back to the gym

\- “Not enough pink,” you hear as she walks past you

\- You can’t help but think you just failed some kind of test

**Gordie + Melony**

\- Circhester is another city you’ve been wanting to visit for some time now. The Hero’s Bath is one of the hallmarks of Galar’s rich history and you hope to check it out while you’re there

\- You decide to grab lunch first and treat yourself to a nice meal at a restaurant. Bob’s Your Uncle is highly recommended on Galar’s tourism page so in you go

\- It’s hard to decide what to get; there aren’t many pictures in the menu so you end up looking around at other people’s dishes, seeing if there’s anything that piques your interest —

\- When the waitress arrives to take your order, you lower your voice and point subtly at the table next to you. “Can I get what he’s having?”

\- You’re surprised Gordie isn’t swarmed by fans while dining in public seeing as he’s pretty recognizable. He seems to be enjoying his steak though, so it’s worth a try

\- So. Good. You can’t go back to curry anymore after this

\- After that satisfying meal, it’s time to hit the Hero’s Bath

\- Lapras’ pokeball rattles excitedly when you approach the hot spring (she can never resist a nice pool of water), and you try not to draw too much attention to yourself as you whisper furiously to her, promising her a long soak later if she behaves now

\- There’s a tap on your shoulder and you turn around, ready to apologize for causing a scene, but the words get stuck in your throat when you find yourself face-to-face with Melony herself

\- Winking, she tells you that her own Lapras is the same and suggests Circhester Bay as a relaxing place to let her out for a swim later

\- You stammer out some form of thanks before booking it out of there in embarrassment

**Piers**

\- It feels a bit like cheating when you’re watching a concert for free

\- To be fair, you’re perched high up on one of the buildings in Spikemuth to avoid the mosh pit below and the music coming from the stage is somewhat muffled, so it’s not exactly a HD experience

\- You bury yourself in Corviknight’s feathers for warmth as you hear Piers sing, bopping your head along with the melody and clapping instead when his fans scream and cheer in support

\- It’s a nice way to unwind after a long day at work; Piers’ songs are a little rough around the edges, but they’re really catchy and they never fail to put you in a better mood. No wonder he’s consistently trending on Galar’s radio stations

\- You freeze when Corviknight suddenly covers you with his wings. Trusting your pokemon’s instincts, you remain as still as possible

\- After a minute or so, the giant bird nudges you onto his back and prepares for takeoff, flying you back to the safety of the Wild Area

\- Neither of you realize that Piers knows you’ve been there all along, his eyes tracking Corviknight’s dark silhouette as it cuts through the night sky

**Author's Note:**

> I've marked the story as complete for now, but I may or may not pick this up again after the DLC comes out in June.
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


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